What Is A Neurosurgeon?Neurosurgeon is a doctor who specializes in treating and performing surgery on the central nervous system, which includes the brain and the spinal cord. Read more.SalaryThe median salary of a neurosurgeon in the United States is $368,000. Read more.Becoming A NeurosurgeonBecoming a neurosurgeon requires many years of study and hands-on-training, and usually takes 15-17 years. This includes obtaining a bachelor’s degree, completing medical school, completing an internship, completing residency training, and in many cases, completing a fellowship. Read on to find out How to Begin a Professional Career as a Neurosurgeon. Read more.Job OutlookThe job outlook for physicians and surgeons is very good, with a projected job growth rate of 24%. Read more.

Salary

Neurosurgeon Salary
Neurosurgery is one of the highest paying specialties in the medical professions. The median neurosurgeon salary in the United States is $368,000. The top 10% of neurosurgeons earned $643,000 or more.
All neurosurgeons in the U.S. spend at least 5 years as a neurosurgery resident. This pay significantly less than what residents will earn once they become fully qualified neurosurgeons. While pay will vary from program to program, here are the figures for some of the top neurosurgery residencies in the United States:
Harvard
Here are the reported salaries for residents in the Harvard Neurology Residency Program:

Year

Salary

Year 1

$54,220

Year 2

$56,462

Year 3

$57,834

Year 4

$60,563

Year 5

$62,919

Year 6

$67,677

Year 7

$70,890

Year 8

$74,460

Upstate Medical University
Here are the reported salaries for neurosurgery residents at Upstate Medical University of the State University of New York:

Year

Salary

Year 1

$48,152

Year 2

$51,766

Year 3

$54,168

Year 4

$56,380

Year 5

$58,988

Year 6

$61,394

Year 7

$61,894

Mayo Clinic
Here are the reported salaries for neurosurgery residents at the Mayo Clinic:

Year

Salary

Year 1

$47,259

Year 2

$49,151

Year 3

$51,186

Year 4

$53,325

Year 5

$55,626

Year 6

$57,741

Year 7

$59,662

Year 8

$61,965

Year 9

$64,200

Year 10

$66,415

Temple University School of Medicine
Here are the reported salaries for residents at Temple University School of Medicine:

Year

Salary

Year 1

$49,337

Year 2

$51,064

Year 3

$52,436

Year 4

$54,288

Year 5

$55,515

Year 6

$57,740

Year 7

$60,028

University of Rochester Medical Center
Here are the reported salaries for neurosurgery residents in the University of Rochester Medical Center:

Year

Salary

Year 1

$47,250

Year 2

$49,019

Year 3

$51,742

Year 4

$53,562

Year 5

$55,384

Year 6

$57,203

Year 7

$58,510

How To Become A Neurosurgeon

How To Become A Neurosurgeon As highly specialized physicians, all neurosurgeons must complete a 4 years undergraduate degree and 4 years of medical school in order to earn their M.D. designation.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Neurosurgeon
The path to becoming a neurosurgeon is not for the faint of heart. It’s a highly specialized field that requires an exceptional level of skill, intelligence and mental focus. In the U.S., it takes approximately 15-17 years to become a neurosurgeon. This includes:

4 years completing an undergraduate degree

4 years in medical school

1 year hospital internship

5-7 years of neurosurgery residency

2-3 years of training in a fellowship either after residency or as a senior residency, in order to pursue a sub-specialty.

How Long Does It Take To Become A NeurosurgeonStep 1: Bachelor’s Degree
While there is no specific undergraduate program for becoming a neurosurgeon, anyone interesting in becoming a neurosurgeon would start their education off by pursuing an undergraduate degree in preparation for medical school. This usually involves completing pre-med coursework focused heavily on biological sciences in order to meet admission requirements for med school.
Most medical schools in the United States also require a strong Grade Point Average (GPA), usually at least 3.5 or above. Applicants will also have to complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and score at a competitive level in order to be considered for medical school.
Step 2: Medical School
Anyone aspiring to become a neurosurgeon needs to earn an M.D. degree. The first 2 years of medical school is usually medical overview classes, although in the later 2 years aspiring neurosurgeons can tailor their studies to better match their career aspirations. They may want to pursue classes in surgical practice, medical diagnostics, clinical research, and disease management. Aspiring neurosurgeons will also want to pursue neurosurgery rotations at hospitals.
Step 3: Medical Licensing Exam
Once the candidate graduates from medical school, they must complete the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE), in order to be a able to practice medicine. Many residency programs also use these scores as part of the selection process when choosing residents. The Medical Licensing Exam is administered by The National Board of Medical Examiners and the Federation of State Medical Boards. The exam can be taken after med school, or during the first year of a residency program.
Step 4: 1 Year Internship
Before their neurological residency, aspiring neurosurgeons need to complete a 1 year hospital internship. During this internship, the aspiring neurosurgeon will usually have rotations in neurology , neurosurgery, neuropathology, neuroradiology, and critical care. This internship helps new residents become familiar with day to day operations, acquire basic skills in neurological examination and diagnosis, gain experience in a surgical environment, and gain important critical care experience.
Step 5: 6-8 Year Neurosurgery Residency
During their years of residency, aspiring neurosurgeons gain the experience, skill, and training needed to become a fully qualified neurosurgeon. The residency program will gradually provide the candidate with greater levels of responsibility in terms of evaluating patients and performing surgery.
There are 99 accredited neurosurgery residency programs in the United States, according to the AMA. Neurosurgery residency programs are usually 7 years in length, although some programs are 6 years, while a few require 8 years to complete.
At the more junior and intermediate levels of residency, residents will work under the close supervision of senior neurosurgeons. As they gain experience, they’ll have the opportunity to assume greater responsibility and surgical opportunities. During the 5-7 years of neurosurgery residency, the residents will mature from patient care providers and surgical assistants working under close supervision, to independent, fully competent, high-level neurosurgeons.
Note: Neurosurgery is one of the most competitive specialties and neurosurgery residencies generally attract the very top students from medical school.
Step 6: State Licensing and Board Certification
Neurosurgeons must be licensed through their state medical board. Applicants must complete and submit an application, pay the requisite fees, and submit their school transcripts and test scores. Neurosurgeons might also apply for Board Certification through the American Board of Neurological Surgery. Requirements for becoming board certified are available here.
Step 7: Complete A Fellowship
Most neurosurgeons continue their education and training by pursuing a fellowship in a sub-specialty. Some examples of sub-specialties include neutrotrauma/neurocritical care, functional and stereotactic surgery, pedediatric surgery, neuro-oncology, movement disorders, spine surgery and skull base surgery. Completing a fellowship entails another 1-3 years of training and education.
See our listing of the top medical schools for more information.

Data source: Salary.com

Additional Information
If you’d like to know more about becoming a neurosurgeon, you can request more information.

Job Description

Neurosurgeon job description
What does a neurosurgeon do? Neurosurgeons – commonly referred to as brain surgeons – perform surgery on the brain and spinal cord. They operate on patients who may have suffered trauma to the brain or spinal cord, who have brain or nervous system diseases, or who have neurological disorders. The specific day to day duties of a neurosurgeon will depend on their sub-specialty, but here are some of the more common conditions that neurosurgeons treat:
Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors
Neurosurgeons diagnose and treat patients with tumors in the central nervous system. Because of the complexity of tumors in the brain or spinal cord, neurosurgeons work with a team that usually includes a radiation oncologist, a medical oncologist, an endocrinologist, and other specialists.
Head Trauma
When patients are admitted to the hospital due to trauma to the head, neurosurgeons may be required to examine patients, and depending on the nature and severity of the injury, may need to perform emergency surgery.
Strokes
Strokes are the result of blot clots in blocking blood flow to brain cells. Strokes can cause brain damage and are one of the leading causes of death. Neursurgeons use a variety of methods to treat blood clots and also to prevent future clots from forming.
Congenital Abnormalities
Neurosurgeons treat patients who with neurological abnormalities. There is a wide spectrum of neurological abnormalities, and each condition may require a different form of treatment or surgery.
Alternate Job Titles

Doctor – Neurology Surgery

Physician – Neurology Surgery

Surgeon – Neurology

Job Outlook

Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for physicians and surgeons in general is very good, with a projected job growth rate of 18% from 2012-2022. This is significantly higher than the projected average job growth rate in the U.S. of 11% over that same time period.
According to the National Institute of Neurologic Diseases and Stroke, neuroscience research and the advancement of neurology remains an important budgetary priority in the United States. Based on surveys and trends that point to a growing aging population and the accompanying prevalence of neurological diseases, the job outlook for neurosurgeons is looking very bright indeed.